Wherever you go, I'll go.

After the rescue, the original four-person grouping was disrupted, leaving Su Yang and Su Qingci in one team, while Pan Ning and Han Xiaoyu ended up together.

Meng Wenzhou and the others had already reached the finish line much earlier and were now sitting on benches by the shore, waiting.

Even Liu Bo, the last to arrive, had made it ashore. Meng Wenzhou walked over and asked, "Why were you guys so slow?"

Liu Bo gave an awkward smile. "We capsized."

Meng Wenzhou froze for a second before bursting into laughter. "Hahaha! You—you didn’t get hurt, did you?"

Liu Bo rolled his eyes. "Bro, I just flipped my boat, and you’re laughing?"

"No, no, I just can’t help but imagine the way you must’ve flailed when you fell in. Don’t blame me—let me laugh for a sec."

Meng Wenzhou doubled over, laughing for a good ten seconds before straightening up, bracing his hands on his knees.

"Alright, I’m done. My face muscles are sore from laughing. Where’s Old Su and the others? Why aren’t they here yet?"

"Yang flipped again."

"What the hell? How’d he manage that?"

Liu Bo shrugged. "No idea. All I saw was him getting swept down the slope, but Su Qingci was still sitting in the raft."

"Wait, Su Qingci? Wasn’t she supposed to be with Han Xiaoyu?" Meng Wenzhou looked utterly confused.

Liu Bo shook his head. "No clue. I didn’t see Sister Pan or Han Xiaoyu after that."

"What the hell’s going on?" Meng Wenzhou scratched his head and glanced toward the river.

Ten minutes later, Su Yang and the others finally navigated the last long slope and drifted into the calm waters near the finish line.

Su Yang paddled with his hands—his wooden pole, scoop, and flip-flops had all disappeared.

Meng Wenzhou, squatting by the riverbank with a cigarette, spotted Su Yang and immediately stood up, waving.

"Over here!"

Once ashore, Meng Wenzhou walked up to Su Yang. "Old Su, weren’t you supposed to be with Pan Ning? Why’d you switch rafts?"

"It’s a long story. I’ll explain later—I gotta pee first." Su Yang, barefoot, sprinted toward the restroom.

Unable to wait, Meng Wenzhou turned to Pan Ning. "Pan, what happened? Why’d you guys switch?"

"Han Xiaoyu and Su Qingci capsized. Su Yang and I went to help, and things got mixed up."

"Oh, got it. Thought you guys had a fight or something."

Pan Ning shot him a glare before heading to the restroom as well.

The group bought some dry clothes from a small shop near the finish line and changed.

An hour later, they returned to Shima Town for hotpot before driving back to Haicheng.

Su Qingci didn’t join them—there wasn’t enough space in the car, and she still had more traveling to do.

Wang Xiaojuan stayed behind at the finish line to wait for her friend.

Liu Bo, however, successfully got her WeChat.

Around 7 p.m., they exited the highway toll station.

Meng Wenzhou and Liu Bo dropped off Han Xiaoyu and Xia Keke.

Su Yang, meanwhile, first gave Tang Ziyun a ride home, then stopped at Lu Yun’s neighborhood.

"Get some rest when you’re home. You must be exhausted from the rafting."

Lu Yun smiled faintly, glancing at Pan Ning, who was asleep in the passenger seat. "I’m fine. Make sure Pan Ning gets home safe too."

"Will do. Go on inside."

With Lu Yun gone, only Pan Ning remained in the car.

She had been asleep since they got on the highway, not even stirring when the other girls got out.

Su Yang glanced at her slumped figure and muttered, "She must be really worn out."

He nudged her gently.

"Pan? Wake up, we’re home."

"Pan?"

When she didn’t respond, his expression darkened. He leaned over and pressed two fingers under her nose.

Feeling the warm breath, he exhaled in relief.

"Phew—scared me for a sec. Thought you were..."

"Wait, no." He pressed his palm to her forehead.

"Holy crap! You’re burning up!"

Now he understood why she hadn’t woken up—she was running a high fever, and it was bad.

"Alright, we’re going to the hospital!" He started the car urgently.

Pan Ning weakly turned her head, frowning. "No... no hospital..."

"You’re this sick and still refusing?"

"I hate hospitals... won’t go." Her grip on his forearm tightened despite her frailty.

"Then where do you want to go?"

"Wherever... you go..." Her voice was barely a whisper.

"I’m going to the hospital!"

"No!" She mustered the energy to glare at him. "If you take me there... I’ll never... talk to you again..."

Su Yang sighed. "Fine. What about a clinic? Just an IV to bring the fever down? You can’t stay like this!"

"No... no IV..." Her scorching hand clung to him stubbornly.

"That’s not negotiable." He pulled free and started driving.

Pan Ning suddenly sat up and lunged for the steering wheel.

"Jesus!" Su Yang slammed the brakes. "What are you doing?!"

"No IV!" she insisted, each word deliberate.

Su Yang stared at the usually composed woman now acting like a petulant child. He shook his head. "Unbelievable. Fine, we’ll get meds from the pharmacy!"

At that, Pan Ning relented, slumping back into the seat.

"Never met anyone as stubborn as you." He reclined her seat gently before speeding off.

Two turns later, he spotted a chain pharmacy.

Parking hastily, he bought a digital thermometer, fever reducers, antiviral meds, and flu-relief powder.

Back in the car, he drove the Maybach swiftly into the night.

Ten minutes later, they arrived at the underground garage of Shenhai Manor.

After parking, Su Yang grabbed the medicine bag and opened the passenger door.

"Pan?" No response.

Looping the bag over his wrist, he unbuckled her and carried her out in his arms.

Inside the apartment, he laid her on the master bed.

Her forehead felt even hotter than before.

"How high is this fever?" He fumbled for the thermometer.

A beep later, the display read 40.2°C.

"Holy shit!"

That level of fever was dangerous—untreated, it risked seizures or even neurological damage.

Looking at the thermometer displaying his temperature, Su Yang tossed it aside and hurried into the bathroom.

He grabbed a small towel, dampened it with water, then rushed back to the bedside to place it on Pan Ning’s forehead to cool her fever.

After that, he walked to the living room to pour a glass of warm water before returning to the bedroom. He took out two fever-reducing pills and sat by the bed, gently lifting Pan Ning up.

“Pan, open your mouth and take the medicine,” he urged.

Pan Ning’s face was flushed red from the fever, her entire body trembling. She hugged herself tightly, her teeth chattering uncontrollably.

With her eyes closed, she weakly parted her lips. Su Yang slipped the pills into her mouth, then turned to fetch the warm water to help her swallow them.

Once she had taken the medicine, he laid her back down and pulled the blanket over her. Pan Ning immediately curled into a tight ball.

The blanket Su Yang had given her was a thin summer one—far from enough for someone shivering from fever-induced chills.

He left the room and gathered all the spare blankets from the other bedrooms, piling them onto Pan Ning.

After finishing, he sat by the bed again, watching her small face scrunched in discomfort.

Slowly, Pan Ning reached a hand out from under the blankets and grabbed Su Yang’s.

Noticing this, he gave a faint smile. “Put your hand back under the covers. Right now, nothing but your head should be sticking out.”

“No…” Pan Ning weakly protested with a single word.

“You’re really stubborn,” Su Yang sighed, taking her hand and tucking it back under the blankets.

He remained seated beside her, replacing the damp towel on her forehead every few minutes.

......